Automatic indicator for lockers.



J. B. ARMITAGE.

AUTOMATIC INDICATOR ron LOCKERS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21. I9l5.

Patented Jan.16,1917.

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J. B. ARMITAGE. AUTOMATIC INDICATOR FOR LOCKERS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 21, 1915.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

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JOSEPH 1B. ARMITAGE, OF PAWTUOKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 NARRAGANSETT MACHINE COMPANY, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

AUTOMATIC INDICATOR FOB LOCKERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

Application filed October 21, 1915. Serial No. 57,211.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrrr B. ARMITAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pawtucket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Indicators for Lockers, ofwhich the follow ing is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in automatic indicators for lockers, particularly to lockers used in clubs, gymnasiums, schools and similar places where the members are supplied with clean articles of athletic apparel. In such places, it is the usual custom for members to leave their soiled articles in their respective lockers and for the attendants to replace such articles with clean apparel ready for the members when they next require the clothing. Without opening the locker, it is practically impossible for the member or attendant to ascertain whether or not the soiled articles of clothing have been replaced.

The primary invention, therefore, is to provide indicating means which automatically designate whether or not the articles in the lockers are clean or soiled.

A further aim resides in a signal or indicator operable by the key of the member to indicate soiled clothing and returned to normal position by latching the door of the locker.

Further, the invention resides in such features of construction, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the preferred embodiment be ing illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 shows the relative positions of the associated parts when the indicator designates that clean clothing is within the locker. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the relative positions of the parts when the indicator designates the presence of soiled clothing. Fig. 3 shows the invention with the indicator being reset to normal position or that which indicates clean clothing. Figs. 4 and 5 show, in part, the outside of the locker door with the.indicator designating, respectively, clean and soiled articles. Fig. 6 is a front perspective of the lock removed from the door, and Figs. 7 and 8 are elevations of the master or attendants key and the members key.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 refers to the door of a locker having vertically and oppositely movable bolts 2 and 3 pivoted to a turn plate 1 which is rotatably mounted on the back of the door for operation by a knob 5, the latter being disposed on the front or outside of the door. The turn plate is formed with a projection 6 in the curved path of which the bolt 7 of a lock 8 is adapted for movement, in the usual manner.

The door is formed with a sight opening 9 across which a semaphore or plate 10 is adapted to move, the plate being pivoted to the door, as by pin 11, and carryinga pair of signals arranged on the plate so as to be visible through the sight opening, one being visible when the plate is at one limit of its movement and the other signal visible when the plate is at its other limit of travel. In the present instance, a black signal 12 is used to designate that clean clothes are in the locker and a red signal 13 to indicate that soiled clothes are in the locker.

The mechanism for throwing or swinging the indicator comprises an actuator slide 14:, a trip pawl 15 and a coiled spring 16.

The actuator slide 1 1 is provided with a guide slot 17in its forward end portion through which the lock mounting fastener 18 passes. In its rear portion, the slide is formed with an inclined guide slot 19 in which the pivot pin 11 operates and from which extends an angular related cam slot 20. A lug or pin 21 cooperates with the cam slot 20 whereby on sliding of the actuator 14 the indicator will be swung on its pivot. Forward sliding movement is imparted to the actuator by the spring 16 when the former is released by the trip pawl 15. This pawl-is in the form of a lever pivoted, as at 22, between its ends and has its pawl end urged against the slide preferably by the spring 16. The slide carries a keeper 23 in the path of which the pawl is projected by the spring. When the trip is engaged with the keeper 23, the opposite end 24: of said trip extends in a transverse slot or groove 25 of the barrel 26 of the lock 8, the latter being preferably of the triple bolt type.

The latch bolt 2 is formed with a cam section 27 against which the forward end of the actuator slide moves, an anti-friction roller 28 being carried by the slide for obvious reasons.

In operation, the member inserts his key 29, depicted in Fig. 8, in the barrel 26 to withdraw the bolt'7 and thereby unlock the turn plate 4:. During this operation the inserted key also raises the end 24: of the trip and, consequently, disengages the pawl from the actuator whereupon the spring 16 pulls the latter forwardly until the roller 28 abuts the cam section 27 of the bolt 2. This eflects movement of the indicator to present the red signal at the sight opening 9, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. He, then turns the knob 5, rotating the plate to withdraw the latch bolts 2 and 3 during which the bolt 2 with its cam section 27 is thrown eccentrically to slide the actuator rearwardly (see Fig.

This operation returns the black signal to the sight opening and permits of the trip pawl engaging its keeper. After the member has finished with the use of the locker and has placed his soiled clothing therein, he shuts the door, rotates the knob in the reverse direction to the position inclicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and inserts his key for throwing the bolt 7 This insertion of the key trips the pawl to release the actuator and thereby effects a resetting of the red signal at which the attendant will look to ascertain whether or not the locker contains soiled clothes. The attendant then takes his key 30 (Fig. 7 which has a cut out 31 to allow free passage by the arm 24 of the trip. He then withdraws bolt 7 and turns the knob to unlatch the door which operation moves the actuator rearwardly and re turns the black signal to the sight opening. After the attendant has replaced the soiled clothes by clean ones, he closes and latches the door, and locks the turn plate with belt 7, the cutout 31 of his key permitting of this operation without altering the relative position of the indicator and its mechanism. Thus, it will be noted that all the operations are automatic throughout and that the indicator cannot be operated from the outside in an unauthorized manner except by the members key.

While the invention has been specifically described for a single purpose, it is, of course, understood that various uses may be made thereof such as being a check on the attendance of the members.

Having thus described my invenion, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination with a door provided with a sight opening, a turn plate rotatable thereon having a projection, a vertically j movable latch bolt pivoted to the plate, of

a lock on the door including a bolt adapted to be moved into the path of the projection on the turn plate and a key-receiving barrel formed with a transverse slot, an indicator pivoted to the door for movement across the sight opening thereof, an actuator slidably mounted for movement against the latch bolt and provided with a cam slot, a lug carried by the indicator and engaging in the cam slot of the actuator, the latter being provided with a keeper, a trip pawl pivoted between its ends and having one end engaging with the keeper of the actuator and its opposite end resting in the slot of the lock barrel, a spring connected with the actuator and pawl to render the same spring actuated, and a pair of keys for the lock one only of which being adapted for raising the end of the trip pawl from the slot of the lock barrel to release the actuator.

2. In combination, a look, a pivoted indicator, an actuator for the indicator having a cam part, :1 lug on the indicator for co-- operation with the cam part of the actuator, means for operating the lock, and means under control of the first means for operating the actuator.

3. In combination, a look, a pivoted indicator, an actuator for the indicator having a guide slot and a cam slot, a guide pin operable in the guide slot of the actuator, a lug on the indicator engaging in the cam slot of the actuator, a keeper on the latter, a trip member engaging with the keeper, and means for operating the trip member and lock.

4. In combination, a door, a latch member thereon, a lock for the latch member, an indicator, means for operating the lock and moving the indicator from normal pos tion, and means operable by the latch membex to return the indicator to normal position.

5. In combination, a door, a lock, a latch member, an indicator, a slidably mounted actuator connected to the indicator and adapted for movement against the latch member, a trip member releasably holding the actuator in normal position, means for operating the lock and trip member to release the actuator, and means for operating the latch to return the actuator to normal position.

6. In combination, a door, a latch therefor, a lock for the latch, an indicator, means for moving the indicator from normal position on rendering the lock inoperative, means for operating the lock only, and means for returning the indicator to normal position on operation of the latch.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH B. ARMI'IAGE Witnesses FRANK R. DINSMORE. CHARLES T. WALKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

